Breaking News

Gippsland Announced as Priority for Australia’s First Offshore Wind Assessment The Federal Government’s Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resoruces has announced that Bass Strait off Gippsland will be the nation’s first priority area to be assessed for suitability for offshore wind developments. The focus will be on identifying existing users of the marine area that will need to be taken into account when considering any future offshore renewable energy infrastructure activities, particularly offshore wind projects. Important users include: the environment, such as marine life and migratory birds; existing maritime infrastructure and industries such as fishing and shipping; and other marine stakeholders and local communities. The annoucement is the first step to developing a strong Australian offshore wind industry that: serves to secure affordable energy; creates jobs and investment; and increases the economic growth of regional and coastal economies.

South Australia Moves to Build Hydrogen Power Station The South Australian Government has moved on its promised construction of the country’s first green hydrogen powered electricity generation station. This project is part of its Hydrogen Jobs Plan, which was promised before the recent state election.

Premier Peter Malinauskas announced the opening of a Hydrogen Jobs Plan Market Sounding and the introduction of legislation on hydrogen production, storage and transportation, at the Australian Hydrogen Conference in Adelaide.

The purpose of the Hydrogen Jobs Plan Market Sounding is to seek input from local, national and international organisations to provide technology and commercial approaches to help shape the delivery of a hydrogen production facility near Whyalla in the state’s mid-north.

Whyalla is the planned site for a major, federallybacked hub for green hydrogen from renewables production and export, with the state government already extending the export jetty at nearby Port Bonython.

by Böhler Welding

THE BEST FOR THE BEST.

diamondspark seamless cored wires

diamondspark. A cored wire of highest quality and performance. Designed by the leading pioneers in filler materials, diamondspark wires are tailored to match the highest requirements for demanding applications. diamondspark – the best seamless cored wires for the best welders.

Curious? See the full video OPERATION: DIAMONDSPARK online on our website!

BREAKING NEWS

Austal to Build Two Additional Cape-Class Patrol Boats Austal Australia recently announced that the Department of Defence will order an additional two Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats for the Royal Australian Navy, for $124 million. The two new vessels are in addition to the six Patrol Boats currently being delivered by Austal Australia.

Austal’s Chief Executive Officer, Paddy Gregg, said, “We are incredibly proud to be supporting the Royal Australian Navy by providing and enhancing fleet capability; working in collaboration with the Department of Defence and Industry partners. This announcement for additional Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats further strengthens and supports Australian sovereign shipbuilding capability and provides Austal, and our outstanding supply chain partners, with a level of continuity that will provide stability and security for the National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise. Austal will also continue to invest and develop our facilities in Henderson to ensure we have the capability and capacity for the future program of work.” Fortescue Awards Schlam $90 million Mining Agreement Schlam recently announced that it had been awarded a multi-million-dollar supply agreement with Fortescue Metals Group for both its products and services. The contract will see Schlam Payload Solutions supply Fortescue with dump bodies and buckets, whilst Schlam People Solutions will provide skilled on-site mechanical and fabrication services for a minimum of three years, with options to extend.

Schlam Chief Executive Officer, Matt Thomas, said, that he expected the agreement’s value to reach over $90 million. “Like Schlam, Fortescue is a proud and innovative West Australian company, who we have been working with for almost a decade. This relationship strengthened when we trialled a Hercules dump body suited to their fleet of 240 tonne class trucks in 2018. At the time, it was the lightest 240 tonne body we had manufactured, and through working with innovative partners, like Fortescue, we’ve been able to develop the next generation of payload products, including the Hercules EXO.” New CRC to Accelerate Australia’s Sovereign Manufacturing Industry The Sovereign Manufacturing Automation for Composites Cooperative Research Centre (SoMAC CRC) was recently confirmed as the second Cooperative Research Centre to receive funding under Round 23 of the CRC Program.

Then Minister for Science and Technology, the Hon Melissa Price MP, and Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction, the Hon Angus Taylor MP, announced that the SoMAC CRC would receive $69.9 million in Australian Government funding which will leverage more than $189.3 million in cash and in-kind from 36 partners. This will strengthen Australia’s composite manufacturing industry and solve its major challenges, while generating thousands of new jobs. The SoMAC CRC’s vision is to transform Australia’s established composite technologies capability into sovereign leadership, creating a world-class, highly automated, digitally enabled, network of designers, manufacturers, and service providers.

Photo: The first Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat, ADV Cape Otway, was delivered on 23 March 2022. Image courtesy of Austal Australia. Photo: Schlam was recently awarded a $90 million contract with Fortescue Image courtesy of Schlam.

Photo: BlueScope’s TRUECORE® steel. Image courtesy of BlueScope.

Photo: Rheinmetall’s LYNX Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Image courtesy of Rheinmetall.

BlueScope Distribution Opens Hub and Announces Investment BlueScope Distribution’s National Product, Processing and Solutions Hub announces plans for further capability investment to help deliver significant projects Australia-wide.

In February 2022, BlueScope Distribution announced a $6.9 million investment into a custom site in Unanderra, NSW to help its customers deliver significant renewable energy, defence and infrastructure projects Australia-wide. The facility officially opened on 12 May 2022, with BlueScope announcing plans to pursue further investment to enhance the site’s capabilities in processing a broader range of steel and aluminium products required in defence and mining.

Earlier this year, the Australian Government awarded BlueScope a Modern Manufacturing Initiative grant of $55.4 million which triggered a further investment of $161.6 million by BlueScope and its Illawarra partners. This investment will create an Advanced Steel Manufacturing Precinct at the Port Kembla Steelworks, and a new fabrication facility to manufacture components for the renewable energy, defence and other sectors, as well as upgrades of the Port Kembla Plate Mill. BAE Systems Australia Novel Approach to Future Careers BAE Systems Australia and the employer association Ai Group will launch the nation’s first degree apprenticeship program at the start of the 2023 academic year.

Delivered by Victoria University, the degree apprentice program will aim to dramatically increase skilled participation in major defence projects and has already received the endorsement of major employers in the sector.

BAE Systems, Ai Group and Victoria University will pilot an integrated learning program that will include on the job training and academic studies focused on a degree in Systems Engineering. Course specifications were developed in consultation with Apprenticeships Victoria and Engineers Australia.

BAE Systems and Ai Group are collaborating with employers to define requirements and outcomes. These companies include Dassault Systems, Advanced Fibre Cluster, Air Radiators, Navantia Australia, Memko and Systra. The course will take between 20 and 40 students in the 2023 academic year. Success would see the program broadened to include a variety of engineering degrees. Rheinmetall Opens Maryborough Defence Manufacturing Facility Four years in the pipeline, and two years after construction began, Maryborough’s biggest industrial plant in decades was officially opened by then Minister for Defence, the Hon Peter Dutton MP.

The state-of-the-art $60 million artillery shell forging factory includes a 1,200 tonne forging press and computerised machinery that will produce the world’s most technically advanced 155mm projectiles for the Australian Defence Force, as well as export markets.

When fully operational later this year, the plant will have the capacity to produce 30,000 shell cases per year with a workforce of up to 100 people, from line supervisors, skilled operators, maintenance staff, labourers and apprentices.

Australian company BADGE Constructions led the building phase for the project, which has had multilevel government backing with a $28.5 million grant from the Federal Government’s Regional Growth Fund on top of $7.5 million from the Queensland Government’s Regional Jobs and Investment Fund.

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WEEK

Owned and operated by AMTIL, the inaugural Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW) exhibition took place at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) in Darling Harbour from 7-10 June 2022. Australia’s premier manufacturing solutions event, the theme for 2022 was Where technology meets innovation.

According to Shane Infanti (Exhibition Director, AMW), “As Australia’s leading showcase for the latest advanced manufacturing equipment and processes, Australian Manufacturing Week provides an unrivalled opportunity for you to see the latest state of the art technology up close, and discuss potential applications that will help your business to deliver innovative, value-added solutions. The show offers the ideal setting for people from across Australian manufacturing to exchange ideas, access useful resources, engage in networking with new and existing contacts, and to explore new ways to help our industry grow.”

AMW occupied more than 9,000m2 of floor space at the ICC Sydney, with more than 170 organisations taking stands to exhibit some of the very latest manufacturing technologies, processes and support services.

The AMW exhibition consisted of six dedicated zones offering a comprehensive view of the modern manufacturing landscape. The Austech Machine Tools and Ancillary Equipment Zone hosted an extensive range of metalworking and machine tool technology, including the latest state-of-the-art cutting tools from Iscar Australia. The Australian Manufacturers Pavillion celebrated the very best in Australian manufacturing, providing a showcase for some of this country’s most accomplished component manufacturers, precision engineering firms, toolmakers, advanced manufacturers, and general engineering companies.

The Weld Solutions Zone featured the latest cutting-edge welding technology. Exhibitors included Novarc Technologies, Lincoln Electric, Ensitech and Supagas, just to name a few. Weld Australia also exhibited, with our Soldamatic augmented reality welding simulator on-hand.

AMW enjoyed a visit from the Hon Stuart Ayres MP, the New South Wales Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, and Minister for Tourism and Sport, and Minister for Western Sydney. Minister Ayres opened the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF) Make the Future event. Presented by the NSW Government and the Western Parkland City Authority, the brief for the AMRF is exciting on many levels. Stage One will be the next generation fabrication district in Western Sydney, built in the new Bradfield City. This is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2023.

The full-scale AMRF will incorporate advanced electronics and semiconductor manufacturing to service defence, aerospace and emerging industries. The Western Sydney International Airport will be built and active right next door.

The Women in Manufacturing event also proved popular, with Kim Banks (Head of Events, AMTIL) and Erika Hughes (Commercial Director, Integra Systems) speaking to the crowd. There were many stories about business ideas, mountains climbed, and contracts won.

INDO PACIFIC 2022

The INDO PACIFIC 2022 International Maritime Exposition featured the largest exhibitor turnout in the event’s 20 year history. It is believed to be the largest defence industry event ever held in Australia, after a record number of participating exhibitor companies presented at the event at Sydney’s International Convention Centre in early May.

Weld Australia’s stand proved popular with attendees, with people keen to try their hand at the Soldamatic augmented reality welding simulators. INDO PACIFIC proved to be a great opportunity to talk to members and other industry experts about the opportunities available in shipbuilding.

In all, INDO PACIFIC 2022 had more than 25,000 visitor attendances across the three days, and 736 participating exhibitor companies from 23 countries—a 12% increase on 2019 and the largest number of participating companies in the history of any AMDA Foundation event. Weld Australia was one of these exhibitors. The exhibition space was 11% larger than the previous record set in 2019, and there were over 70 symposia and presentations. More than 40 nations were represented, with 39 Chief of Navy Counterparts or their representative from around the world in attendance.

Justin Giddings, CEO of INDO PACIFIC 2022 organiser AMDA Foundation, said INDO PACIFIC 2022 comprehensively achieved its goal of bringing the maritime and defence communities together. “This was my first INDO PACIFIC, and it was overwhelming to see the support of not only Navy, but also the exhibitors, sponsors and visitors,” Giddings said.

“From day one there was a hum of activity in the halls that continued for the entire event. INDO PACIFIC was delayed from 2021 because of COVID, and it was clear that industry is very happy to be talking face-to-face again, so the vibe on the floor was electric. We thank the Royal Australian Navy for its commitment and engagement with INDO PACIFIC 2022, and for its service to the nation.”

“Set for 7 to 9 November next year, INDO PACIFIC 2023 will return the event to its traditional schedule, and although that is only 18 months away, we hope that everyone will be back next year for an equally successful event,” said Giddings.